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APESIntroductiontotheWorldsBiomes

Objective: Understand the plants, animals and climate that characterize each biome of the
world.Site:http://mbgnet.mobot.org/MissouriBotanicalGardens

Browse each biome and fill out the chart below and answer the questions below about each
individualbiome

TerrestrialBiome CommonPlants/
Animals
Interesting
Features
Weather/Climate
Rainforest
Plants
Bark,Lianas,DripTips,
Buttresses,PropandStilt
Roots,Epiphytes,Bromeliads,
Mangroves,Nepenthes.
Animals
BeardedPig,BrazilianTapir,
Capybara,Chimpanzee,Tree
shrew,CrestedGuan,Flying
Dragon,Gorilla,IndianCobra,
SlowLoris,Orangutan,and
VineSnake.
Treesare50100
yearsofage.
40%oftheworlds
tropicalforests.
Rainforestscover
67%oftheEarths
landsurface.

Heavyrain,upto
80400inchesofrain
peryear.
Climateiswarmand
moist.

Tundra
Oftenbarrenwithsomesmall
plantsclosetotheground.
Smallshrubsinaccumulated
soil.
Mostlyrockswithlichen
growingonthem.
Cottongrassisdispersedby
thewind.
Birds
Gyrfalcon,Ruddyturnstone,
SnowyOwl,SnowBunting
Mammals
Locatedatthetopof
theplanet.
Soilisfrozen.

Temperaturescanfall
below60F.
Averagetemp.is
between50and32
degrees
Annualprecipitation
is10inches.

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ArcticFox,Muskox,
Caribou,andPolarBear.
Taiga
Mostlyevergreentrees.
Fewleaftreessuchasbirch,
poplar,andaspen.
Birds
BohemianWaxwing,Hawk
Owl,PineGrosbeak,and
RedThroatedLoon.
Mammals
EurasianBeaver,Lynx,
Marten,Moose,Snowshoe
Rabbit,andErmine.
Treesdroptheir
leavestomaintaintheir
branchesduring
snowstorms.
Nightsarelongdue
totheworldstilted
axis.
Decompositionina
taigaisslow.

30inchesofannual
rainfall.
Lowtemperatureand
snowy.
Duringwinterthe
temperatureis65Fto
30F.
Duringthesummer
thetemperatureis20F
to70F.
Desert
Plants
Saguarocactus,Barrel
cactus,Pricklypear,Dragon
tree,Fishhookcactus,Desert
spoon,Aloe,andYucca.
Animals
Cactuswarren,DesertLark,
Dingo,Fatsandrat,Fenner
Fox,Gilamonster,Great
Jerboa,andMouseTailed
Bat.
Theworldslargest
desertsincludethe
Sahara,theGobi,the
Kalahari,theGreat
Victoria,andtheGreat
Sandy.
10inchesofannual
rainfall.
Temperaturevaries
duringthedayand
night.
Hotduringtheday
(100F)andcoldduring
thenight(4050F).
Verydryconditions.
Temperate
Mammals
Blackbear,Graysquirrel,
Raccoon,WhitetailedDeer,
andWildBoar.
Birds
Cardinal,Goshawk,Turkey,
andYellowbelliedsapsucker.
Treesandplants
becomedormantto
prepareforwinter.
Treesshedtheir
leavestoprevent
damagefromfrozen
water.
3060inchesof
annualrainfall.
Theaverage
temperatureisabout
50F.
Grasslands
Plants
Tallgrass,Sweetconeflower,
purpleconeflower.
TheinteriorofNorth
Americawasonce
coveredbytemperate
grasslands.
1030inchesof
annualrainfall.
Betweenadesert

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Monarchbutterfly
Animals
Bison,BlackRhinoceros,
BlackfootedFerret,Brown
Hyena,Giraffe,Lion,Ostrich,
PrairieDog,andWarthogs.
andforest.
Fertilesoil.

AquaticBiomes CommonPlants/
Animals
InterestingFeatures Weather/Climate
Rivers&Streams
Animals
anaconda,Barbel,
Boutu,Dipper,Gavial,
Hellbender,RedPiranha,
andthecommon
pufferfish.
Riversandstreams
accountfor3%of
runningwatersources.
Thelongestriversinthe
worldinclude:TheNile,
TheAmazon,TheChang
jiangyangtze,The
MississippiMissouri,
andtheYeniseiAngara.

Temperatureofwater
variesasittravels.
Watercanbecome
pollutedbythesoiland
runoff.

Ponds&Lakes
Animals
Bitterling,Bullfrog,
commoncarp,Lake
Trout,Platypus,Zambesi
Softshell,Caiman.
Algae:bluegreenalgae,
greenalgae,Euglenoids,
Dinoflagellates,and
Diatoms.

Thefivelargestlakesin
theworldare:The
CaspianSea,the
Superior,theVictoria,
theAralb,andtheHuron.
Thedeepestlakein
LakeBaikalinSiberia
withitsdeepestpoint
being1637meters.
pondscansupport
rootedplants,lakescan
not.
Watertemperatureis
evenfromtoptobottom.
watertemperaturein
lakesduringthesummer
variesfromtoptobottom
(toplayer6575F,
middlelayer4565F,
bottomlayer3945F).
temperatureismore
uniformduringthespring
andthefall.
Wetlands
Animals
AmericanAlligator,
AmericanBittern,
BoatbilledHeron,
comparedtokidneys
becauseofitscleaning
system.
canbe16feetdeep
controlsthewaterlevels
ofotherenvironments:

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BlackwingedStilt,Cape
LopezLyretail,common
Snipe,DwarfSiren,Gold
SpinyReedFrog,
SiameseFightingfish,
SouthAmericanLungfish,
TwotoedAmphiuma,
WalkingCatfish.
Plants
Lotus,Lilies,andplants
thatrequirecopious
amountsofwater.
importantandessential
forthehealthofother
biomes.
wetlandsare
disappearing(300,000
acresannually).
retainwaterinhighwater
levelsandslowlyreleases
waterinlowwaterlevels.
Shorelines
fishes:Congereel
Birds
Avocet,CrabPlover,
HerringGull,Magnificent
Frigate,Snowy
Sheathbill,
WhitecollaredKingfisher
Reptiles
DiamondbackTerrapin,
EstuarineCrocodile,
WhitebelliedMangrove
Snake
Mammals
CaliforniaSeaLion,
HarborSeal
Starfishareableto
growlimbsiftheylose
one.
ThePacificOctopus
canhavetentacles23
feetlongoreven14feet
long.
rockyshorescanhave
adropof12feet.
tidepoolshavethe
greatestchangein
temperatureand
conditions.
TemperateOceans
Fishes
AtlanticHagfish,
AtlanticSalmon,Basking
Shark,Skate,Greenland
Halibut,LanternFish,
andSpinyEd.
Birds
BlackleggedKittiwake
andtheEmperor
theoceanabsorbs
whitelightbutreflectsout
bluelight.
sunlightcanonly
penetratethewater100
meter.
Themainoceansand
theiraveragedepthare:
ThePacific(13,740ft.),
warmerwateriscloser
tothesurface.
Coldwaterisbelowthe
surfacewaterwhere
sunlightisnolongerable
topenetrate.
upwellingbringscooler
watertothesurfaceand
warmwarmtothe

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Penguin.
Mammals
GrayWhale,Northern
BottlenoseWhale,
SowerbysBeaked
Whale.
Invertebrates
Cnidarians,Mollusks,
Crustaceans,Sponges,
Echinoderms.
TheAtlantic(12,254ft.),
TheArctic(3,407ft.),
andTheIndian
(12,740ft.).
bottom.
TropicalOceans
Fishes:BlueMarlin,
ClownAnemonefish,
GreatBarracuda,
SmoothHammerhead,
SkipjackTuna,
Porcupinefish,
Stonefish.Reptiles:
GreenTurtleand
HawksbillMammals:
DugongandFinless
Porpoise.Invertebrates
Cnidarians,Mollusks,
Crustaceans,Sponges,
Echinoderms.
Coralreefsarefoundin
warmshallowwaters.
theanimalthatmakes
thecoraliscalledthe
polyp.
largestcoralreefisthe
GreatBarrierReefin
Australia.
tropicaloceansare
locatedneartheequator.
warmwatersallow
coralreefstoflourishand
increasebiodiversityin
thearea.

Rainforests
1: What are the two types of rainforests? In the United States, where are our rainforests
located?(Bespecific).Whatpercentageofouroriginalrainforestsdoesthisrepresent?
The two types of rainforests are temperate and tropical, in the United States the largest
temperate rainforest extends from Oregon to Alaska, a total of 1,200 miles. This represents only 3% of
theoriginaltemperaterainforests.

Tundra
2: Where is the Tundra Biome located? What is permafrost? What percentage of the Earths
surfaceiscoveredbyTundra?
The tundra biome is located near the North Pole, at the top of the world and covers
approximately one fifth of the earth. The soil in this biome is known for its permafrost which is a
permanentfrozenlayerofground.

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Taiga
3:WhereistheTaigaBiomelocated?WhatisthesoillikeintheTaigawhy?
The taiga biome is located in Northern parts of the world near the North Pole between 50
degrees latitude north and the Arctic circle. The soil in the taiga is thin because of the slow
decompositionoforganismsduetothecoldtemperatureswhichalsomakesthesoillacknutrients.

Desert
4: How much rainfall is characteristic of deserts? Explain where most deserts are located
andtheRAINSHADOWEffect.
Rainfall in deserts averages to 10 inches of rain annually, making the environment extremely hot
and dry during the day and cold during the night. Flash Floods also occur in deserts when it does rain.
Most deserts are located along the 30 degrees latitude north and 30 degrees latitude south. Some
deserts are found by mountains because of the rainshadow effect. The rainshadow effect happens when
air moves over a mountain, becomes cold and releases its moisture, where it then rains or snow. When
this air travels over to the other side it becomes warm and retains moisture. This forms deserts and that
areadoesnotreceivewaterfromtheair.

TemperateDeciduousForest
5: What is special about this biome? Deciduous trees have special leaves that are adapted to
thebiomeexplain.
This biome is interesting because it has four seasons of summer, fall, winter, and spring. The
trees within this region are adapted to survive the changing seasons by releasing and growing their leaves
when necessary. During the summer, the trees have broad leaves to absorb more sunlight for
photosynthesis to produce food which can be used to grow or storage for the next spring. As the days
get shorter and cooler during fall, the trees leaves begin to change color from green to n orange pigment
as the chlorophyll within the leaves begin to decompose. For the winter the trees lose their leaves and
seal the places where the leaves were attached. They do this in order to prevent the water in their leaves
from freezing and becoming damaged which could leave the plant vulnerable to bacteria and fungi. To
prevent the water within from freezing, plants produce a sugar solution. As the season shifts to spring and
thedaysbecomewarmerandlonger,plantsbegintogrowonceagain.

Grasslands
6: Grasslands are found on every continent except for one which? How much rainfall do
grasslands get why is this important? What are the 3 types of grasslands that are found in
NorthAmerica?Whataregrasslandscalledinotherplacesintheworld?
Grasslands are found on every continent except Antarctica. This biome receives about 10 to 30
inches of rain per year, any less would make it a desert and any more would make it a rainforest. The
three types of grasslands found in North America are the Tall Grass Prairie, the Mixed Grass Prairie,
and the Short Grass Prairie. In other parts of the world, however, they are not called grasslands. In
South America they are called pampas, in Europe they are called steppes, and in Africa they are
calledsavannas.

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Rivers&Streams
7: How much water on Earth does running water represent? What is a watershed? What
are the two main processes that happen to surface water? What is the longest river in the
world?WhatisthelongestriverintheUnitedStates?Whatisahydroelectricdam?
Running water on Earth represents only .3% of the Earth's total surface. Watersheds are sets of
streams which all lead to large bodies of water such as lakes or the ocean. Surface water undergoes two
processes: runoff and infiltration. Runoff is precipitation which travels downhill towards streams, ponds,
or lakes and then into the ocean. Infiltration is the process through which water is soaked into the ground
and travels down into layers of rock, some of the water can return to the surface but the majority of it
remains as groundwater. The longest river in the world in the Nile River which extends approximately
4,145 miles (6,670 kilometers). The longest river in the United States is the MississippiMissouri River,
it is 3,740 miles (6,021 kilometers) long. Rivers and streams can be used to produce energy through
hydroelectric power dams. The hydroelectric dam controls the river flow but it is also used to produce
energyaswaterpassesthroughthedam.

Ponds&Lakes
8: What is the difference between a pond and lake? Name the four stages of succession of a
pond. Explain how an Oxbow Lake is formed. What is the largest lake in the world? What is
the largest lake in the United States? What is the deepest lake in the world? What is Lake
EffectSnow?Explain.Whatisthecauseofsummerkillinsomelakes?
A pond is able to support rooted plants because of its shallow waters and even temperatures
unlike lakes which are deep and have layers with varying temperatures making it unable to support
rooted plants. The four stages of succession in a pond are as follow: 1. seeds are deposited into a
developing pond by birds, land animals begin to inhabit the pond, they are known as the pond pioneers.
2. Vegetation begins to form as more organisms arrive and deposit debris. 3. Emergent plants, plants
with roots underwater with parts of their bodies above water, begin to appear along the edges of the
pond which raise the ponds floor over the years as plants die and decompose. 4. As the pond floor gets
closer to the bottom emergent plants are able to grow across the bottom. An oxbow lake is a crescent
shaped lake alongside of a river, it is formed when water travels more slowly on one side of the loop and
deposits sediments on the other side. The outside edges flow faster and erode the banks making them
wider, this becomes wider overtime until the neck vanishes. The rivers water flow separates from the
curve, making it an oxbow lake. The largest and deepest lake in the world is the Caspian Sea with an
area of 143,244 square miles and a depth of 3,363 feet. The largest lake in the United States is Lake
Superior with an area of 31,700 square miles. The Lake Effect Snow happens when wind blows over a
lake and picks up the warm moisture up and pushes it uphill where it cools and condenses, it is
eventuallyreleasedassnow.
Wetlands
9: What are the types of freshwater wetlands name and define them. Explain why
wetlandsaresoimportant.Whatishappeningtoourwetlands?
There are different types of freshwater wetlands such as marshes, swamps, bogs, prairie

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pothole, and riparian marshes. Marshes are inland areas with only 16 feet of water and a variety of
animals and plants such as grasses, forbs, and bushes. Swamps are slow moving streams or rivers, they
can also be isolated depressions which harbor trees and shrubs. Wetlands are important to the
environment because they retain water which prevents floods. When water levels are high, wetlands
retain water and slowly release water when water levels are too low. Wetlands also release vegetation
into rivers, this helps feed other organisms such as fish. They also act as cleaning system which cleanse
andregulatestheflowofwater.

Shorelines
10: What kind of lifeforms will you find in the intertidal zone? What is a barrier island? What
is an estuary? What is life like in an estuary? What is a salt marsh? What is the Mangrove
Forest? How are the trees specially adapted to living in that environment? Why are they
important?
Starfish and various types of sea shells live in the intertidal zones, these organisms must adapt to
the constant changes, for example, some of these organisms shut down or burrow in the sand when
tides are low. Barrier Islands are separated from the mainland by bodies of water which can vary in
size. Estuaries are partially close bodies of water where the river meets the sea, a mix of fresh and
saltwater, it includes salt marshes, mangroves, forests, and mud flats. Salt marshes are inland bodies of
water located near the place where the river meets the sea. Mangrove forests are located near large
rivers where they are sustained by the sediment at the edge of the river. The mangrove trees in this area
have aerial roots which are adapted to filter salt, allowing them to survive in brackish water. These
trees are important because their roots collect sediments and slow the flow of water preventing erosion
andprotectingthecoastline.

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TemperateOceanZones
11: Name and describe the different zones of the ocean and how they are divided. Describe
thedifferentphoticzonesoftheocean.Whatarekelpforests?Wherearetheyfound?
The ocean is divided into different zones, the actual water is known as the pelagic zone while the
bottom is known as the benthic zone. The neritic zone extends from the high tide line to the bottom of
ocean water that is 600 feet deep. Water that is deeper than 600 feet is called the oceanic zone which is
divided based on water depth into the epipelagic, mesopelagic, and bathypelagic zones. All of these
zones lie within the three zones based on the amount of sunlight they receive. The first zone is the
Euphotic (sunlit) zone where sunlight is able to penetrate and support photosynthesis. The next zone is
the Disphotic (twilight) zone where very little sunlight is able to penetrate. The third zone accounts for
90% of the ocean is called the Aphotic (midnight) zone where there absolutely no light. Within the
euphotic zones, Giant Kelp forests are able to grow. Kelp forests are composed of large brown
seaweed that grow in temperate oceans, they are also found in the Atlantic but are much bigger in the
PacificOcean.

TropicalOceanZones
12: What is coral made of? Explain. Where are most coral reefs located? Where is the
largestcoralreef?
When the coral dies it leaves behind its skeleton made calcium carbonate, young coral then
attaches itself to the skeleton and so on. Most coral reefs are located near the equator because
they flourish is warm and shallow water. The largest coral reef is the Great Barrier Reef, it is
locatedinAustralia.